ULDA short on ideas

THE government body charged with delivering affordable housing at Caloundra South is unable to say exactly how it is going to achieve its task.

While the outcomes of the State Government’s Housing Affordability Strategy in relation to the greenfield site are clear and represent at least 7000 dwellings of the 23,000 it is proposed will be constructed, the Urban Land Development Authority says it has no way to ensure it reaches the minimum level of stock at the price required.

In 2007, the then infrastructure and planning minister, Paul Lucas, said the new affordability strategy would require bringing forward by 10 years planning for Caloundra South.

He said affordability would be achieved by supply pressure on demand.

However this year, in response to questions put by the Sunshine Coast Daily, Mr Hinchliffe nominated specific targets as minimum outcomes for the strategy in relation to that particular greenfield area.

“A minimum of 30% of all dwellings across the Caloundra South UDA will be available to purchase or rent by a household on the median household income for the local government area,” the minister said on October 28. The median income figure for the former Caloundra local government area is $857 per week, or $44,564 per annum (source: ABS, Census, 2006). In addition, a minimum of 5% of all dwellings across the UDA will be available to purchase or rent by a household on 80% of the median household income for the local government area.”

To achieve that outcome, at least 7000 dwellings would need to cost home buyers no more than $13,369.50 a year, or $1114.13 a month, or be rentable for no more than $257.10 a week.

Of that 7000, a minimum 1150 homes would need to cost buyers no more than $891.28 a month and renters no more than $205.68 a week.

However, while properties at those prices are required to be built, there is no guarantee they would go to the targeted groups.

At a community forum on Monday night, Mr Hinchliffe described the Sunshine Coast as “one of the most expensive places in the world to buy a home”.

He said the government had brought forward planning for Caloundra South and ultimately taken responsibility from the council to ensure homes could be delivered quickly.

The ULDA has since failed to respond when asked whether it had held discussions with Stockland about how the policy outcomes would be achieved.

Its interim land use plan for the urban development area that includes Stockland’s Bellvista estate stage two now sets at 30% the amount of stock required to meet affordability standards for the two income groups, rather than that percentage being the minimum previously stated by the minister.

ULDA chief Paul Eagles said Wednesday that target, with everything in the plan, would come under review during the preparation of the development scheme.